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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27597044">chronic sunshine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/itischalupa/pseuds/NoMercy'>NoMercy (itischalupa)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Coming of Age, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, M/M, Slow Burn, WIP, Whump, also the kids don't really exist lol, lawrusso, not much karate</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 00:22:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,808</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27597044</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/itischalupa/pseuds/NoMercy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Post 1x09.</p><p>Johnny's drunk driving catches up to him as do a lot of other things he's been running from. Whump!Johnny and Caretaker!Daniel because who doesn't need some hurt/comfort in their life right now?</p><p>or</p><p>A story about healing from hurt past and present.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>79</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. All Out of Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Inspired by that Tumblr post about the cliché 'one in hospital bed tells one who's been awake worrying that they look like shit.' Also inspired by this amazing art: https://pfaerie.tumblr.com/post/632826687352127489/in-this-house-we-love-daniels-chicken-legs.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As the sunlight slanted in through the window and fell across Johnny’s closed eyelids, he was forced into squinting awake. At least when he was younger, daylight meant another escape to school and away from the chaos of home.  But glaring back at the window, he couldn’t remember exactly when he started hating the light of a new morning.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was probably around the same time everything started going to shit. When the grey light of a new day that streamed through his broken blinds met him with a throbbing headache from too many Coors the night before and an emptiness in the pit of his stomach. And of course as the day progressed, unrelenting as they always were, he tried to busy himself painting walls and cleaning gutters. But the pit grew inexorably larger until it threatened to swallow him whole, until the sky grew dark at last and he could sink into his couch at the empty apartment. Until he could down one beer after another, in the dim light of his TV screen to numb the memories of</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>–his son, age 6 “It’s ok Daddy! You’ll come to the next game right?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>His mother, age 68 “I’ll be fine here alone today Johnny, you always worry too much about me. Go see Shannon and check on her and the baby.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>His elbow against Larusso, age 16,  ligaments snapping and bone crunchi–</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>until he fell asleep. Which he only knew must have happened because there he’d be, sunlight in his face: awake, hungover, and empty again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So it was safe to say Johnny Lawrence hated mornings. Fuck all of that California sunshine bullshit. New days did nothing but re-animate his old regrets, yawning memories that he’d fall into reliving day after day after day.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But today, his return to wakefulness was accompanied by the steady beeping of a heart monitor. Today, instead of his usual headache which was almost a comfort because of its familiarity, he was gradually becoming aware of sharp stabbing sensation in his arm and leg. No, it was his whole body that throbbed with the kind of pain that temporarily makes you lose your breath. As his mind struggled to piece together what he was feeling, he tried to catch his breath and put together his surroundings.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Still squinting against the rays of light hitting his eyes, he began to make out the muted colors and faint astringent smell of sanitizer that pervaded his room. A hospital room? What the fuck happened to him? Looking down the length of himself he saw he was bundled into a hospital bed with his right arm bound into a splint, pulse-ox clip on his finger and IV line coming out of his left arm. His right ankle was bound too, thickly wrapped in a layer of white and beige, and as his gaze carried down past his feet he made out a figure slumped into a chair backed up in the corner of his hospital room next to the window.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Laru–“ he choked out. God, how did his throat hurt too? He swallowed and tried to force the word out again, but by this time the figure was himself blinking awake.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Larusso?” he asked hoarsely.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Johnny. You’re awake,” Daniel said groggily, shifting himself upright. He ran a hand over his face and through his hair, before taking off the sport coat draped over his front as a makeshift blanket. He rubbed his left knee, face contorting for a flash.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, I got that part. What am I doing here?” Johnny tried to swallow again and ended up coughing dryly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daniel stood and crossed the room quickly, slightly favoring his right leg and ignoring the question in favor of pouring some water from the pitcher into the paper cups left on the table by Johnny’s head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As Johnny twisted his head to follow the man as he walked to his bedside, not missing the limp. He saw the slight stubble covering Larusso’s jaw and upper lip. His eyebags were dark and his forehead creases had deepened. And maybe it was a trick of the light but his eyes looked rimmed with red.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You look like shit,” Johnny croaked, realizing the irony in this coming from someone broken in who-knows-how-many-places and in a hospital bed, but needing to see this Larusso replaced with the familiar one. He took the proffered cup from Daniel and studied his expression.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Larusso’s mouth curled up in that half-smile he did, the one where Johnny didn’t know if he was angry or happy or a combination of both, but it was thrilling whenever it was directed his way and had burned itself into his mind since he first saw it 30 years ago. At least Larusso was starting to look like his normal self again. If he didn’t know what the fuck was happening with himself, at least Johnny Lawrence knew Daniel Larusso.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m gonna go call the nurse and let them know you’re awake, ok? Will you be fine on your own?” Daniel asked as he watched Johnny drink.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah sure, whatever,” Johnny said gruffly. Hadn’t he always been fine on his own? He watched Larusso leave his room and tried not to think about the last time he’d seen Larusso look broken: when he was too young to have lines across his forehead but his wounded eternally deep eyes, rimmed with red, still hit Johnny in that same place, low in his heart.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was still trying not to think about it when he fell back asleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter from Daniel's POV! Come say hi on Tumblr @crylock :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Can't Fight This Feeling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>More Johnny Whump but this time it's in the 1980s! And bonus emotional!Whump in the present day. All the while, Daniel is stuck playing catch up.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yes now we are skipping between Johnny and Daniel POV as well as between 1984 and present day. No this was not intentional. Yes writers like me exist &lt;3</p><p>Anyway it's heavy exposition backstory time so buckle up!</p><p>Lyrics from "Can't Fight This Feeling" - Speedwagon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>1984</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>As Mr. Miyagi drove them home from the Tournament in a comfortable silence, Daniel replayed the scene in his head, a nagging thought put there after what he’d seen of Johnny that day. It wasn’t just what he’d seen in the parking lot, although he knew it would be a while before he could forget that too –</p><p> </p><p>Still buzzing off the adrenaline from his win (that’s all it was, nothing to do with the 2 kids outside who had asked for <em>his</em> autograph), the pain in Daniel’s knee seemed to be ebbing away. He was managing an effective limp-and-swing system as he made his way out of the All Valley Karate Tournament gymnasium. With his massive first place trophy in hand and Mr. Miyagi by his side, it seemed like things were finally coming up all Daniel for once. And then he heard shouting across the parking lot, the words Kreese was spitting at Johnny Lawrence like shards of glass, coming fast<em>, too fast</em> before slowing to a halt for every second Daniel had to watch Johnny being choked.</p><p> </p><p><em>“You’re off the team.” </em>Kreese’s arm wrapped around Johnny’s neck.</p><p><em>“You’re nothing.” </em>Johnny struggling to free himself, to breathe.</p><p><em>“You lost.” </em>Johnny’s fight growing weaker, Kreese unrelenting.</p><p><em>“You’re a loser.” </em>Kreese’s arm wrapped around <em>Johnny’s</em> <em>neck</em>.</p><p> </p><p>After Mr. Miyagi put Kreese in his place and they walked away together, Daniel had looked back to see Johnny Lawrence slumped on the asphalt surrounded by his Cobra Kais. In his face Daniel saw what looked so out of place in those striking cobalt eyes: defeat.</p><p> </p><p>– But no, that wasn’t what was stuck in Daniel’s mind either. It was that Johnny’s crushed expression in the parking lot was the first time Daniel had seen that look that night. Despite the fact that he’d kicked the guy in the face just an hour before. But Johnny hadn’t looked defeated then, no. No, instead, Johnny Lawrence had looked…he’d looked…proud?</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Proud?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>So this is what Daniel kept replaying as Mr. Miyagi drove on: The moments of his victory at the Tournament, Ali and his ma and Mr. Miyagi and everyone he cared about – and a load of strangers– running up to him, crowding him and cheering, a trophy handed to him. In the chaos he didn’t know but now, sitting in the silence of the car, Daniel knew.</p><p> </p><p>Johnny was the one who handed him the trophy with his eyes shining, joy written across his face, as easy to read as his crumpled face one hour later outside the gymnasium. The same laughing eyes that had met Daniel’s over Ali’s shoulder in the Country Club. What the hell was up with that?</p><p> </p><hr/><p> <strong>Present</strong></p><p> </p><p>It was the same eyes, with a few more wrinkles, crinkled at the edges as Johnny laughed with Daniel at the bar. They were one-upping each other with childish insults about Ali’s husband and whether it was the alcohol or Johnny’s smile, Daniel felt giddy and 16 years old again.</p><p> </p><p>“Look at that dumb face.”</p><p> </p><p>“What an asshole,” Daniel chuckled.</p><p> </p><p>Johnny smirked in response. “Looks like your typical $400 haircut douchebag.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, and his stupid Ray-Bans. Jackoff.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey I have Ray-Bans, man. They’re badass,” Johnny protested above Daniel’s laughter. “Chicks love that mysterious look. This loser just can’t pull it off.”</p><p> </p><p>6 drinks – and too many of Johnny’s mimicked <em>‘ice, ice cold Bartender!</em>” – later, the conversation had turned from Ali to their other exes over the decades. Head pleasantly fuzzy but still taking another sip of his martini for liquid courage, Daniel tried to ask casually, “So was there ever another Ali? Another girlfriend who you beat up some poor bastard like me for?”</p><p> </p><p>“Nah man. Sure there were other chicks…even knocked one of ‘em up. Thought we could be a family but well…you know. Life.” Johnny studied his Coors. “And anyway there was something different back then you know? Something about being young and the right person could make you feel like...shit I dunno.” He trailed off and said quietly, “Like it was worth the risk.”</p><p> </p><p>Daniel swallowed and looked away, realizing he had been staring intently at Johnny’s profile as he spoke. “Yeah. I know what you mean.” His memories pulled him back to that warm summer evening on the pier when he could see Johnny’s profile right beside him and thought the same. Here was someone worth the risk.</p><p>
  
</p><p>He shook his head slightly to snap out of the thought. He knew what was down that road, had experienced it all already. And anyway, he was happily married now. “Well should we get going?”</p><p> </p><p>“Seriously, Danielle? It’s barely past 11 PM. What is it, your bedtime already?”</p><p> </p><p>“C’mon Johnny, it’s getting late. Does that stupid Cobra Kai ‘no mercy’ bullshit apply to your liver too? I mean really, how many of those have you had already and you’re still not drunk enough?”</p><p> </p><p>“Guess I’m just not a lightweight like you Larusso. A real man knows how to hold his–“ Johnny burped interrupting his attempt at a smooth delivery. “Alcohol.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Oh so you’re a real man then, huh?” Daniel shot back behind a smile that was a mix of irritation and glee at this ridiculous man, feeling his Jersey accent low in his throat. Jesus, Johnny Lawrence never stopped being a dick. “I’ve got a mat at my place. Why don’t we go back there and see who the real man is?”</p><p> </p><p>Johnny returned the same smile. “Oh, it is on.”</p><p> </p><p>As they drove back to his house in Johnny’s – scratch that, they hadn’t finished the paperwork yet so technically it was still DANIEL’S – car, they blasted Speedwagon with the windows rolled down. Johnny was weaving as he drove but Daniel couldn’t bring himself to be the responsible one anymore. With the wind and music roaring in his ears, singing, well more like shouting, along with Johnny, Daniel felt lighter than he had in a long time. He wondered if Johnny was thinking about the lyrics as much as he was as they sang into the night:</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore<br/>I've forgotten what I started fighting for<br/>And if I have to crawl upon the floor<br/>Come crashing through your door<br/>Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>When they got out of the car and walked up to the house together, shoulders bumping and hands nearly touching, Daniel wondered exactly what the night would turn into.</p><p> </p><p>Life always had a funny way of reminding Daniel that things were never that easy.</p><p> </p><p>Johnny had peeled away in the Challenger and Daniel had kicked Robby out, trying in vain to fight off the cloudiness in his head from all the alcohol. Couldn’t his buzz take a hint? He’d been given a rude awakening back to reality and needed to think about what do to now that he’d learned his protégé was none other than Johnny Lawrence’s son – now that he couldn’t stop seeing Johnny’s face, betrayal written across it as he turned to the only solution he could trust: his own two hands. When he shoved Daniel hard enough to knock the breath out of him, Daniel’s anger sparked in response. But now that he understood the root of it, Daniel could only feel the hurt that had been coursing through Johnny’s veins.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Thought we could be a family...</em>”</p><p> </p><p>He wanted to talk to Johnny, clear it up, explain that he hadn’t known who Robby was and if he had, of course he would have told Johnny. Hell, if anyone knew how complicated family could be, it was Daniel. But Johnny was gone so Daniel settled on calling the number he found on the Cobra Kai website, which went straight to voicemail every time.</p><p> </p><p>            -“<em>This is Sensei Lawrence, owner of Cobra Kai Karate where we teach YOU to kick ass. If you want to become a badass, come check out Cobra Kai Karate and learn more at www period Cobra Kai period c-o-m.”</em></p><p><em>            -“</em>Hey Johnny it’s me. It’s Daniel, I mean. Listen, what happened tonight with Robby…I didn’t know ok? I swear, If I’d known he was your son I would’ve told you. I’m sorry ok? Just…call me back when you get this.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>Daniel jolted awake an hour later when his phone buzzed on the bedside table. Grasping blindly in the dark from under the covers, as Amanda tossed over in bed, he made out the shape of his phone and picked up the call.</p><p> </p><p>He had thrown off the covers and was rushing towards the closet when Amanda asked half-awake, “Daniel? What time is it?” She clicked on the bedside lamp. “What’s going on?”</p><p> </p><p>When he turned to look at her, his face was drawn and those normally warm eyes were shuttered. “It’s Johnny. He’s in the hospital.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>"Eyelids with a few more wrinkles line" is a real Ralph Macchio quote about Billy Zabka! (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/26/arts/television/karate-kid-cobra-kai-youtube-red.html)</p><p>Parts of this wrote itself but the dialogue gave me a struggle trying to embody them haha. Happy to take suggestions to feed this guy; if you have any headcanons or dialogue thoughts please drop below or on Tumblr @crylock!</p><p>Also shoutout to Speedwagon for making the perfect song for these two :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Right Here Waiting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"Why are you even here Larusso?"</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> “You could have died! You could’ve died Johnny, and for what?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“For what? What the fuck does that mean, what the fuck has it ever been for? I don’t know how it works in your <em>perfect</em> life Larusso but in mine, things don’t always happen for a reason. Shit just happens.” Bed-bound, wrapped up, and hooked to machines, Johnny was trapped. He couldn’t throw a punch in here, the way he always had when faced with pity. But he still had venom in his tongue, could still punch his words out to wipe that look off Daniel’s stupid face. And he reacted just how Johnny knew he would.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Perfect life? You don’t know a goddamned thing about me John,” Daniel spat, voice rising. “You never have.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah? Well I know that you’re probably too busy up there in Encino making lattés for you and your wife and your kids to be here right now giving me the third degree. So let’s start there. Why are you even here Larusso?” The steady beeping of Johnny’s heart monitor was all that filled the room for a moment.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daniel spluttered, gesticulating accusingly at Johnny as he tried to find the words, “Because! Because I couldn’t…someone had to be here! The car was still registered at the dealership, and the hospital – they couldn’t find anyone else to call for you. Your emergency contact hadn’t been updated in years.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Johnny stilled for a moment. Mom. He gathered himself and hit back with a sardonic, “Alrighty well thanks so much for the charity Larusso but I think I can take it from here.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eyes narrowed, and smiling, tight stretched lips betraying what boiled just beneath the surface Daniel retorted, “You? Yeah you’re not doing anything for a long time Johnny. You know what the doctors are saying don’t you? Sprained knee, broken arm, bruised ribs. And they’re concerned you might’ve done it on purpose. So that’s why I asked. What the fuck were you thinking?”  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heart monitor now beeping incessantly faster, “Jesus, you think I tried to off myself Larusso? I was fucking drunk! I didn’t–“</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sir? I’m sorry but you cannot be here if you’re going to be disturbing the – oh, hello Daniel,” Carmen interrupted, pushing through the sliding door and into the room.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sorry, do we know each other? Oh, yeah you’re the nurse from earlier who was in and out right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No,” Carmen’s no-nonsense look melting into a warm smile directed at Daniel. “No, we haven’t met but I’ve heard a lot about you from Johnny. I’m usually over in orthopedics but I heard that Johnny might be here I came down to emergency to find him. How are you feeling?” she asked, now directing her smile past Daniel to the man in the hospital bed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daniel stepped aside and Johnny read the slightly affronted look on his face. Actually, now that Johnny saw the two of them side-by-side, beautiful soft thick black hair, warm skin and eyes, he realized he just might have a type after all. Damn, how high had they turned up his painkillers? No, Daniel already has the perfect life, he reminded himself, hearing the waves lapping against the boardwalk as he always did when he fell down, down into this thought. He blinked away the memory.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m feeling great. Fantastic, actually.” Johnny tried to stretch to punctuate the confidence of his words but ended up wincing from the sharp reminder in his right arm that no, he wasn’t fantastic actually. “And ready to get out of this joint.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ok well let me just take a look at your chart.” She flipped through, glancing up briefly to meet Johnny’s eyes, now with that same look of worry in her face that Daniel had earlier. She looked over at Daniel next. “Actually Daniel, would you mind coming outside with me for a moment?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Johnny watched the two of them leave, a largely pointless exercise given that he could see them talking right outside through the glass sliding door. Carmen’s back to him, he saw Daniel’s face: listening intently, big eyes serious, and then nodding. A look of grim determination that Johnny remembered all too well. This time if Larusso was going to come back in and crane-kick him, at least he’d be already hooked up to the painkillers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As the two of them came back in, Carmen aimed that thousand-killowatt smile at Johnny, the one that hit him right in his core, as she slid in the knife. “Well Johnny I think you should be able to get out of here soon! You’ll just need someone with you to make sure you’re okay. And since I have the back-to-back shifts here at the hospital, it would probably be best if Daniel stayed with you for a while, just until your knee heals and you can get around on your own. Okay?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Well now, that was just unfair.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh, yeah well the thing is I’ll be fine by mys –“</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not up for discussion Johnny. And Daniel said it’s fine with him too! Your doctor will be really pleased that you’ll have someone to take care of you so I’m sure she’ll let you go home soon. I have to run now but I’m so glad you’re doing better and I’ll send over some food with Miguel later.” Carmen beamed approvingly at Johnny and Daniel again before walking briskly out the door.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As soon as the door slid shut, Johnny started, “Listen man, I really don’t – “ right as Daniel said, “Johnny, I know you don’t – “ They both stopped, eyeing the other silently.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daniel let out a breath, closing his eyes momentarily.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He started again, focusing his gaze somewhere at the foot of Johnny’s bed, “So, you know how I told you my dad died when I was eight. I always hated hospitals after that. The smell, the quiet, all of it. We’d come to visit him as often as we could, and I didn’t hate the hospital then. It was the only time I had with him. We’d talk about everything: the Mets and school and my friends. But I couldn’t really do anything for him. Not really.” He paused again, now looking straight at Johnny, face open as a book. Johnny felt a pang in his chest for this boy, this man, who could still make himself vulnerable. Somehow, life hadn’t kicked the shit out of him enough to teach the one lesson Johnny learned early: you’re better off alone.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daniel continued, “And you, well. I know you’re not in the same situation. I mean. You’re not dying or anything obviously. But I’d…I’d like to be there for you. That is, if. If you’ll let me.” Daniel stopped and cleared his throat, lips set in a line of sincerity as he watched for Johnny’s reaction.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Johnny let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Shit, well. Yeah, man. If it means that much to you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daniel nodded, some of the tension finally leaving his shoulders as he sat back in the armchair in the corner.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And it’s fine with Amanda and everything?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And there was that tension right back in Daniel’s posture. The guy was wound so tight he was poised for a heart attack at any second. Good thing they were in a hospital at least.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shit – I mean. Yeah, Amanda – she’s fine with it.” Daniel sprang out of the chair, cell phone in hand.  “In fact, I was just gonna call her with an update so. I’ll just do that.” Daniel almost sprinted out of the room, jabbing at his screen as he jogged.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Johnny rolled his eyes. So much for Larusso’s perfect life. But then, he had always been like that: react first, then think. Sucker punch Johnny on the beach first, dump water on Johnny in the bathroom first, and then – consequences be damned. And boy were there consequences for Daniel Larusso, Johnny made sure of that. Of course, Amanda wouldn’t literally kick Daniel’s ass like Johnny had. Johnny wondered which kind of ass-kicking Larusso honestly preferred – and how this one man could be such a masochist and a soft-hearted son of a bitch at the same time. The guy was a whirlwind of confusion and it had been sending Johnny’s head spinning for decades.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And here he was dragging this mess back into his own life. Daniel Larusso taking care of him? But Johnny found he couldn’t fully stifle the fluttering of <em>something</em> low in his stomach.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Gotta love Carmen keeping these two in check :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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